QM2 November 18th 2006

[Spike_Spiegel]

HELLO FROM ON-BOARD!

 

Wifey & I are having the time of our lives ... though the seas are a bit rough at the moment (and the Library is in the fore of the ship!). The B&W ball was last night, and Maria looked radiant, I must say.

 

The QM2 is everything we had hoped ... will post full reviews later (obviously). If anyone onboard checks-in, we will be dining with David & Baiba in Todd English Wed. eve, and feel free to buzz our room at 11105.

 

Have a wonderfule time everyone!

 

- Spike

[jgsmuzzy]

Good to see you are having a good time!

 

(one is very depressed now, waiting 14 months until I next get on her!)

[pnhmrk]

Wifey & I are having the time of our lives

 

Spike - I'm delighted to hear you're enjoying it:)

[cusyl]

HELLO FROM ON-BOARD!

 

Wifey & I are having the time of our lives ... though the seas are a bit rough at the moment (and the Library is in the fore of the ship!).

- Spike

 

If you run across a barwaiter with a Jason name tag tell him Sylvia says

hello.

[patwell]

Hi Spike...thanks for the on board report. Hope things have calmed down for you...it looked a bit rough on the bridge cam. How is it up there on Deck 11? We'll be in 11059 on Dec 2nd and I can't wait...so take good care of her and keep that pod in place! And do enjoy the rest of your journey.

 

Cheers, Penny...who's trying to wait patiently ;)

[sirdavid]

Greetings to all,

Baiba and I returned to Syracuse last night after a few days in Florida.

The QM2 crossing was wonderful....hard to fault anything! Food and service was outstanding. Second day out we sailing into a force 9 gale....the ship was very stable and we only felt some slight motion. Some passengers were ill however, and a dinner table companion missed dinner! We met a lot of the C.C. posters and enjoyed time with Dona and her mother....we also had a good time with Eric & Maria, when they were not "missing in the spa." We also enjoyed a great meal with them in Todd English. The C.C. meeting was very special, we had Captain Christopher Rynd and his wive at the meeting! She admitted to reading the board and sharing info with him, very interesting. We had a drama to deal with, Baiba discovered her passport missing the Friday evening before we sailed! After a long phone call with Cunard in London (we in a small hotel in Lancing Sussex) we were told that if we got an Affidavit from a Solicitor together with a copy of her american drivers lic we could board. Thank God that the owner of the hotel, thru a staff member, got us together with a Solicitor...238 UK pounds later....we had our Affidavit. Upon arrival at Southampton with our luggage aboard we were informed that there was no way we could board! that was at 1:30pm. After much talking, they agreed to get the Purser off the ship to talk to us.....more slightly heated conversation...then he agreed to call Cunard's agent in Ft Lauderdale. At 5:55pm he came back with a smile on his face and said we can board you!

Upon arrival in Ft Lauderdale, no problem a couple of questions and "Welcome Home, and happy Christmas."

A great trip!:):):)

David

[cusyl]

Glad you had a good crossing, what a scare to not be able to find her passport at the last minute like that...It's really amazing that they let you board after all..Thank goodness for an understanding person with Cunard. :eek:

Our cruise is coming up real quick now, after waiting so long it is almost here.

[travel-to-go]

David,

Thank goodness things worked out. I would have been in a heap on the floor crying my eyes out. Any word on the passport? Like maybe they accidentally didn't hand it back when you check in at the airport for your flight over?

 

 

Well, it's pretty much a certainty that they wouldn't have left her (a US citizen?) to rot in England! Well, no I am not hitting England, but anywhere that you are stuck unplanned and unexpectedly, and not where your home, bank account, clothes, etc are would be rotting, even if it were the Taj Mahal!

 

So that's what they mean by Ex-patriated Americans. that's all those folks who lost their passports while out of the country!

 

Marc and I have to renew ours. They are up in May, I think. Such a hassle!

Glad you had a wonderful time, and a fun adventure with the gale. So give us the inside scoop. tell us all abot Spike and Maria! Now obviously, she was not surprised, but I think he still had a few things up his sleeves did he not?

 

And Baiba? the waves did not bother her, I trust.

 

Well, I'm jealous- Not just a TA, but a fund ride, too!

 

Karie,

who will get there some day!

[pnhmrk]

We had a drama to deal with, Baiba discovered her passport missing the Friday evening before we sailed!

 

What an horrendous thing to happen. I had my passport stolen once in a foreign country and the loss gives you a feeling of helplessness. I'm pleased that Cunard were able to help you out with some good advice and that, in the end, they did let you on the ship.

[Spike_Spiegel]

Hello, all!

 

Finally back in Ohio and trying to re-acclimate to this mundane existence ... LOL.

 

Maria and I had a fantastic time on all legs of our trip ... the goal of "relaxing" her was achieved and then some. Will post a review as soon as I can draft one ... now that you all know me a bit, you know it will not be short!

 

I'll be dropping notes to a few of you via email as well. It was SUCH a delight meeting everyone, and we look forward to staying in touch. Special thanks to Mark & Steve, David & Baiba, and Donna & Cathy for making the crossing so much fun.

 

More forthcoming!

 

- Spike (aka Eric)

[sirdavid]

Queen Mary 2

Southampton – Ft. Lauderdale

November 18, 2006

 

When I used to teach Radio & Television production and performing, we would, in the case of television cooking program. often show the finished dish right at the top and then demonstrate the process to get to the finished product.

Let me say right at the top…..This crossing was perfection, you would be hard pressed to find fault. Oh yes, if you subjected it to a microscopic examination, perhaps there were a couple of blemishes. But you would have to be very picky indeed.

EMBARKATION: The ship was full, there were hundreds if not thousands of passengers milling around the check in area at Southampton. We had a passport problem that delayed us for several hours therefore it would not be fair of me to comment on the speed of embarkation. It did seem very well organized., with Cunard staff on hand at and in the check in lines to offer help with forms etc.

One comment, we arrived at Southampton Central station about 1:00pm and there were many people in line for a taxi to the dock. There seemed to be a long continuous line of taxi’s doing the shuttle to the nearby dock. The process was quick and inexpensive. Upon boarding the ship there were many Cunard staff on hand to direct passengers to there staterooms, staff were on hand on every deck to give directions. I did see some elderly passengers being escorted and helped to their cabins. Our baggage arrived very quickly and our cabin steward was on hand to make sure we had all our baggage and to see if we needed anything. The flowers I had ordered and Champagne from the Captain were awaiting us in style. Our cabin was a deluxe A2 balcony 11069 it was perfect we loved it. Our steward, Karen took wonderful care of us during the crossing. Nothing was too much trouble.

 

After killing the Champagne we adjourned to the sail away party on deck 12 with a wonderful Caribbean band…. champagne and tropical drinks flowed like Niagara Falls! As we headed towards the English Channel.

 

We had second seating for dinner at 8:30pm. Service that first night was a little slow but soon fell into full swing and was wonderful. We had a table for six on level two of The Britannia restaurant. Our three waiters and wine steward were all right on top of our needs…. you could not fault the service. I must say that the quality and quantity of food was first class, no complaints. Every requested departure from the menu was handled quickly with class and flair. One small observation, there were no hors d’oeuvres being offered with drinks in any bar that first night. We were told this was for health reasons! They were much in evidence every other night in all the bars we stopped in.

 

We were soon sailing down the English Channel and heading for the Atlantic. Little did we know that there was a force 9 gale awaiting us on Sunday! More about that next time.

[Therapst]

Great reading! We're looking forward to the next installment, Sirdavid...

[sirdavid]

QM2

Southampton – Ft Lauderdale

November 18, 2006

Review of crossing, part two.

 

 

[B]Observations on food served during our trip.

There have been comments on this forum from time to time asking if the Britannia Restaurant was second-class. Based on my experiences nothing could be further from the truth. The food and service we received was second to none and First Class. It would do justice to many a land based so called First Class Restaurant.

 

Let’s start with breakfast…. We had breakfast in our stateroom and in the Britannia, but not in the buffet on deck 7.

A breakfast menu, suitable to hang on the cabin door was left in our room each evening. You selected what you wanted and hung it on the outside doorknob. There was a selection of hot and cold food items offered. I am very fond of eggs benedict; this was not on the list. Following a tip on this forum I wrote “Eggs Benedict with sausage and fried potatoes” on the menu and received them every time! On one occasion, I got American and English sausage as I had failed to be precise in my request! Breakfast in the Britannia Restaurant was a wonderful experience as the open seating gave one a chance to meet interesting fellow travelers.

We also had a great meal in the Todd English Restaurant. The rack of lamb was outstanding and the service and surroundings were perfect… I do wonder if it was so much better than the rack of lamb in Britannia and if the service was so much better to be worth $30 each! But try it once and judge for yourself it is a very interesting experience. I cannot recommend the “Lotus” highly enough. Part of the deck 7 buffet area is turned into a fabulous oriental restaurant in the evening. They offer an eight course “Tasting Menu” do not miss this dinning treat… no cover charge but reservations are a must. Another wonderful surprise is “The Carvery” another evening transformation the deck 7 buffet under goes at night. The Prime Rib and Yorkshire pudding are to die for, as is the Roast Rack of Port with crackling, outstanding! Again, no extra or cover charge but reservations are a must.

The choice, quality and quantity of the food offered in the Britannia were top draw. A request for a second or third appetizer was no trouble and was handled with grace…even a request for a second helping of the main Entrée barely caused a ripple! My request for a generous helping of “Stilton” got me just that in a couple of minutes, and the wine waiter appeared with a small double serving bottle of Cunards own Reserve Port for $6.00 perfect! Requests for a different vegetable or type of potato were no problem to the waiters. We spent 10 days last spring on HAL Volendam in the Southern Caribbean the experience was wonderful and the food outstanding…. But the QM2 had the Volendam beaten in both choice and quality of food offered. Wine was available both by the bottle and by the glass…. Some of the bottle prices were, by my standards outrageous. But there were reasonably priced bottles available if you dug down into the wine list. Do not miss enjoying a “English Pub Lunch” in the Golden Lion Pub.

The fish and chips were better than any we had in England and the Baggers and Mash with Yorkshire Pudding would do justice to any English pub… another do not miss experience aboard the QM2.

A comment on Bar prices. Traditional mixed drinks ranged from $4.50 to $5.95 and Tropical fun drinks were around $6.00/7.00. Champagne by the glass was $8.00 to $10.00. We enjoyed two Mimosas each every morning at 10:00am in the Commodore Club, our favorite bar with its wonderful view out over the bow of the ship from deck 9. Peter Hamilton the head bartender was also our favorite bartender…Do not miss his class on making Martinis, well worth the $10 fee…. you get to try the samples!

I forgot to mention the Force 9 gale we encountered when we turned into the Atlantic, I will start with that next time.

David[/b]

[cusyl]

Thanks for that review...we are hungry already. Not long now and we will be experiencing it. :D :D

[pb82]

Do not miss enjoying a “English Pub Lunch” in the Golden Lion Pub.

The fish and chips were better than any we had in England and the Baggers and Mash with Yorkshire Pudding would do justice to any English pub…

Thanks, sirdavid (Sir David?), for your delightful review. Just one difference of oppinion. Haven't had the Golden Lion's Bangers and Mash yet, but we did enjoy the Fish and Chips. The fish could not have been better, fresh and crispy; however, IMHO, the chips were more McDonalds style than pub style.

[sirdavid]

:)

Southampton – Ft Lauderdale

November 18, 2006

Review Part Three.

 

 

On Sunday November 19 we turned into the Atlantic and soon found the wind and sea picking up! According to Captain Rynd we were in a force 9 gale. From my point of view the ship barely moved with some slight roll and very little or no pitching. From memory, I think we reduced speed to around 24/25 knots. I did know of two people who suffered from sea/motion sickness and required a shot from the medical center. One person was in the spa face down on the massage table when the motion affected them. As point of interest, there are separate postings re the cost of “shots” on the QM2. It would seem that around $80.00 was the going rate. Again from my point of view the gale was a non-starter. But then I don’t suffer from motion sickness. Captain Rynd made the statement that only once had he used all four of the QM2 stabilizers. That was last month en route from Southampton to Hamburg to go into dry dock, when the North Sea being so shallow and so rough that he needed all four! If you think you have trouble with sea/motion sickness do a search on this board and you will find many helpful suggestions re medication etc.

We had a very nice meeting of Cruise Critics; we met one afternoon in the Vevue Clicquot Champagne Bar (It was closed at the time!) The Captain and his wife attended and the Cruise Director also stopped by. The Captain’s wife admitted to reading the Cunard boards and passing information on to him! Very interesting. Another interesting remark from Captain Rynd, was that they subscribe to a US based weather forecasting service that tracks weather trends and conditions. And then advises the ship via satellite the best course to set and track to steer. Subject of course to override by Officers on the ship. As a result of the storm and advise from this service we sailed much closer to the Azores that originally planned. All with the idea and intention of giving us the passengers a smoother ride. A further track adjustment took us some thirty miles from Bermuda. I also recommend that you find the observation gallery behind the bridge, from where you can look into the bridge and observe the action or lack there of!

Another point, there is a sign that says no video or flash photography allowed. Turn of the flash on your camera and take some very interesting pictures of the small wheel, about the size of a dinner plate and the joystick that control this mammoth liner. Sorry no video! Some people complete a crossing/cruise on the QM2 without finding the port and starboard outside scenic elevators (lifts!) They run from deck 2 to deck 12 and are very close to the bridge observation gallery. You will need a magnifying glass to find the signs for these elevators! But open doors and you will find them.

Another interesting point to me, I was amazed to hear an announcement and read that we were 300 miles south of the place where the Titanic sank! Also the canned piano music thought the ship kept playing the theme from The Titanic…. Am I the only person who found this odd?

Just a quick word about Shows aboard… If “Rock at the Opera” is playing do not miss it! All the entertainment we saw was very professional and the sets were stunning. As was the orchestra coming up playing as they came up out of the pit on a lift! and the fabulous sets complete with turntable. The live music was also great and was a reminder of the grand old days of Atlantic crossing…(I did sail on the original Queen Mary.) A big dance band with live vocalist, simmering chandeliers above the dance floor… gentleman dance hosts… oh yes, this a Liner and not just a cruise palace. Pack your dancing shoes.

A final word about the Royal Court Theatre, It is a dreadful design with many seats with a blocked or obscured view of the stage, because of support pillars. Arrive early and check your seat, it’s too late if you come in after the show starts. A wonderful jazz trio in the Chart Room Bar and for the young at heart the G32 (QM2’s keel number at construction) night club/disco rocks and rocks. If you can stand it, there is a live TV show on channel 33 (I think) every morning at 6:00am with the Cruise Director and staff; it was so bad it was good! It did in fact provide some useful information! It was in fact a reminder of the early days of television.

A final word about dress codes. I have posted a thread on this subject and will not go over the same ground again. The subject is covered in the daily program and has been hashed and re hashed in this forum. Just a note Black and white/cream/ivory dinner jackets were in evidence on every formal night… no matter the color of the jacket everyone was having a great time, wear what ever color you fancy, I wore both black and white. During the day dressy jeans were everywhere on both sexes, again pack them and enjoy and don’t listen to the people on this board who would tell otherwise. Be comfortable.

In short the Queen Mary 2 is very much a grand Lady… Enjoy her and be yourself. Bon Voyage, to all who plan to sail with her and happy dreams to those among us that dream of doing just that.

David & Baiba

[cusyl]

Thank you Sir David for these great reviews. I can hardly wait to set foot on her again. :D

[sirdavid]

QM2

Southampton – Ft Lauderdale

November 18, 2006

P.S.

To My Review.

 

My memory is the part of my anatomy that I forget with! A friend emailed me just a few minutes ago and wondered about afternoon tea… As it was an English ship. English ship, good question American owned but registered in Southampton. Afternoon tea… Ah yes! Afternoon tea was taken in the “Queens Room” (the largest ballroom afloat!) The doors opened at the appointed afternoon hour…. White gloved waiters hovered like humming birds, waiting to offer finger sandwiches & pour tea… All the old time standards, cucumber, tomato, chicken & ham… served in half’s not quarters, but thank God with crust removed! Wonderful dainty pastries, Swiss roll etc and of course fresh made scones with strawberry preserve and double cream (not clotted!) I can only compare afternoon tea on the QM2 to afternoon tea at Browns Hotel in London… I declare it a draw! Missing on the QM2 was the multi tiered cake/sandwich stands and the age of the waiters on the QM2 was a lot younger than at Browns!

We did have a great String Quartet playing in the center of the dance floor as we were all arranged around the edge. Point of interest, the beautiful wooded dance floor had been totally replaced the week before we sailed during the dry dock upgrade in Hamburg. Considering, how new a ship the QM2 is, the dance floor must get a good workout each voyage!

I think that completes my review… but if I think of anything else I will be back.